Does Medical Marijuana Increase Teen Pot Use?

By Christopher Shea

In states where marijuana is legal, for medicinal purposes, some law-enforcement officials have expressed concern about an increase in teenage drug use. When the U.S. Attorney for Colorado sent letters to marijuana dispensaries located within 1,000 feet of schools, asking them to relocate or close, he cited an increase in drug-related school disciplinary incidents and law-enforcement issues. School districts, he said, “have seen a dramatic increase in student abuse of marijuana, with resulting student suspensions and discipline.”

And, purely anecdotally, I’ve heard from friends in Colorado who have teenage children that they’re concerned about the prevalence of marijuana in the state. But a recent study casts doubt on the thesis that the legalization of medical marijuana increases recreational consumption among teenagers:

In order to examine the relationship between medical marijuana laws and youth consumption, we draw on data from the national and state Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) for the years 1993 through 2009. These data cover a period when 13 states, including California, Colorado, Montana, Oregon and Washington, legalized medical, and allow us to estimate the effect of legalization on outcomes such as marijuana use in the past month, frequent marijuana use, and the use of other substances such as alcohol and cocaine.

Our results are not consistent with the hypothesis that the legalization of medical marijuana caused an increase in the use of marijuana and other substances among high school students. In fact, estimates from our preferred specifications are consistently negative and are never statistically distinguishable from zero.

Using other data sources, they find similar results, findings that are “consistent with research showing that marijuana use among adults is more sensitive to changes in policy than marijuana use among youths.” One caveat is that policy has moved forward since the study was done, with a few more states legalizing medical marijuana; as mores change, so might teenage behavior. The total is now up to 16 states plus the District of Columbia.

Comments (5 of 17)

please allow your children to experience life before sending them off to college at age 17 ....NONE OF US KNOW WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES AT 17 LET ALONE 71

12:47 pm July 13, 2012

Javahead wrote :

Of course it does! in the short term. Like access to alcohol for the first time (turning 18, 21 etc), I would expect a bump in usage at the beginning. After the "newness" has worn away, it doesn't seem so pretty, things drop off, Quickly. Access, easy access to pot is nothing new. I started smoking when I was 14, that was 1970, I have smoked almost every day since (last 20ish have been medical, like I say, not so pretty, just a tool). If my 12 year old daughter wanted to get some, there is lots in the playground across the street (within 1000' of the high school). And our pot in Florida is the SAME PRICE as California dispensaries, so I'm not sure how that legalizing brings down the price thing works. BUT, I think Medical Marijuana opens up dialog in families about pot, letting parents talk better to their kids about drug use and abuse. Thats my .02$

9:56 am July 13, 2012

Anon wrote :

Still better than smoking tobacco or drinking alcohol.

8:52 am July 13, 2012

malcolm kyle wrote :

"Evidence provides no indication that decriminalization leads to a measurable increase in marijuana use."

— Boston University Department of Economics

"There is little evidence that decriminalization of marijuana use necessarily leads to a substantial increase in marijuana use."

— National Academy of Sciences

"The preponderance of the evidence which we have gathered and examined points to the conclusion that decriminalization has had virtually no effect either on the marijuana use or on related attitudes and beliefs about marijuana use among American young people."

— The University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research

"The Dutch experience, together with those of a few other countries with more modest policy changes, provides a moderately good empirical case that removal of criminal prohibitions on cannabis possession (decriminalization) will not increase the prevalence of marijuana or any other illicit drug; the argument for decriminalization is thus strong."

"THE CHILDREN"
If they really cared for the children they'd legalize and regulate marijuana. If they really wanted to keep any substance out of the hands of "The Children" they first must take control of distribution away from black market dealers. They haven't accomplished that in 40+ years at a taxpayers cost in the hundreds of billions. It's time to treat marijuana as we do alcohol. My 27 year old daughter still gets carded when she buys alcohol, yet your 13 year old can buy anything the black market dealer has for a price whether it be money or "something else".
FACT: Your kids have a better chance dying at the hands of someone enforcing marijuana laws than they do from ingesting it.(ZERO %).